DIY PROJECTS DON’T ALWAYS GO AS PLANNED

Unfortunately, many of us were stuck inside of our homes during the pandemic. Some took that time to do a little DIY while they were stuck at home. They tackled complete remodels, while others simply tackled maintenance projects that they had been neglecting, and others simply wanted to try something new and see how creative they could get. Homeowners have taken advantage of their time at home by improving their properties and getting their creative juices flowing—some even finding that they have a new hobby!

Unfortunately, not all projects went as planned for everyone. Many homeowners bit off more than they could chew and became DIY failures. During the last decade, the plethora of TV programs and DIY magazines have encouraged unskilled homeowners to attempt home improvement projects on their own. It looks easy enough to take a sledgehammer to a wall or repave a backyard, but the truth is that few people have the aptitude to learn these skills over a long weekend. Add to this the shortage of contractor availability and in some cases, it was a recipe for disaster.

Of the main areas where DIY projects have failed, these are the worst failure rates:

• Bathroom- 19.7%
• Kitchen- 17%
• Yard/Landscaping- 14.5%
• Bedroom- 11.8%

The largest failure rate was replacing a plumbing fixture coming in at a whopping 13.6% failure rate, followed by flooring at a 10% failure rate. Even painting a room had a higher than expected failure rating; 7.5%. Of course, there were some successes too: power-washing, changing filters, replacing the showerhead, garage projects, replacing doorknobs and cabinet pulls. The pandemic has affected all of us in different ways, but before you attempt a DIY project based on a 3-minute YouTube video, remember that it may cost you far less to hire a professional.

Let’s face it, sometimes it is best to hire someone that knows what they are doing because DIY projects don’t always go as planned.